Telegram-herald., 1887-08-17
THAT STATE STREET LINE.
A Property Owner FINDS Fault with the
Aldermen's Recklessness.

A Property Owner FINDS Fault with the
Aldermen's Recklessness.
To the Editor Of the IELE6RAa HERALD.
GRAND RAPIDS, Aug. l6.-ls IL nor time
that our entire community awakened to
the true state of the struggle going on be-
tween rival corporations 10 take possession
of all avenues under the false pretense of
supplying street railroad facilities to the
suburbs. If our citizens became more in
tsrested in the schemes and methods en-
ployed for furthering such schemes. the
knowledge would be exceedingly -salutary
and unquestionablv for the public good,
We would find that almost imperceptibly
yet steadily the granting valuable priv
leges has become SO much q mstter OF
course that the petitioners look upon the
bestowal as their right, and the contumacy
of any person or persons in daring 10 pro-
hibit is insolentlv resented rs establishing
q dangerous precedent of injury 10 their
plans for entire and exclusive control.
The Board of Aldermen have gradually
become to be considered as their property
and the energy with which they state
they know their men on the Board" is
only equalled by their disgust at being in
terfered with or their divine right over any
or all streets ever questioned. Wesupposed,
lin our innocence, perhaps) that Aldermen
were representative men from each ward
elected through the confidence of their
fellows 10 represent public interests, the
Alderman of each ward TO jeslously watch
over and care for the interests, individual
and collective. of their constituents and in
common with the others TO represent the
interests Of the entire city. The requests
Of corporations for valuable franchises
should be suspiciously sfted, and only
strict public necessity be the grouads
for granting that which cannot be
revoked, and will affect the interests OF our
city for the future. These franchises bad
better be refused than granted where any
uncertainty exists, for II is easy TO retain.
but 10 regain is impossible, and no fair
minded man wishes 70 stand in the posi-
ton of awakening in the future to the fact
that grave mistakes have been committed.
We find about the Council room an at
mosphere of mystery. The unwanted COM
er is regarded as on trial for some imagin-
ary ofense and duly snubbed by the fre-
/ quenters-land sharks and machine politi-
| cians-for intruding his unwelcome pres
ence or interfering in any manner with
| their operations. IL is certainly a wrong
condition when the cid resident who has
| industriously attended 10 his own business
! or mandatory or store, is
| viewed through the intervening medium
OF chronic petitioners for some benefit or
| franchise free Of charge. We find that cor
/ poratioDs openly assert the number Of tho
aldermen they have, :" as they term it. is
| there any tenaole support or excuse for one
alderman being pledged TO bestowing fran
chises, Old demand. without full. free and
| fair examination into the merits Of the
question when IL arises, not forgetting that
be represents the citizens only and not the
| corpOrstion2
No alderman has the right TO ignore the
views OF those directly interested unless
| dire necessity demands. and bare assertion
| should be carefully examined before decis-
| ion. All citizens have certain inaliensble
rights" and none sre injured through recog-
milton OF that fact. We are informed
the Grand Rapids Street Railway Com
| pauy, ofCleyelaRd, claim to he sure Of certain
aldermen. They distinctly promulgste
that singular opinion and defsDtly decsre
they will 20 where they please. Their iron
| fingers have closed one by one until all
| bot the main arteries are stopped. Ii is
time 10 resist before the busy pulse OF
| traffic is enfeebled by choking every sp-
| pfosch. CHERRY STBETI.